Sub-zero temperatures force superintendents into tough calls

Several school superintendents had hard decisions to make this morning as the number of make-up snow days continues to build. Mason City school superintendent Anita Micich says it was tough to decide whether or not to have school this morning, as the temperature was around 25-degrees below zero.

Micich says they kept watching the thermometer, hoping it would get warmer as forecast, but they don’t want to risk any children getting frostbite. Snow days are relatively frequent compared to the rare school cancellation due to extreme cold. She says all of her weather-related decisions are based on student safety.

She says some of the older high school students probably could have made it to school without a problem, but it’s smaller children either walking or riding a bus to school that are the biggest concern. Micich says a school bus isn’t always the best place to be in sub-zero temperatures.

Micich worries a bus engine might gel up and strand students somewhere. With the “brutal” wind chill, she had people out at 4 AM, checking roads for slick spots and drifts to help in making the determination. Micich says the Mason City district’s last day of school was originally scheduled for May 29th. As it stands after today’s cancellation, the end of the school year has been pushed back to June 3rd.